In order to counter armed violence in Montreal and put an end to the “feeling of impunity” of street gang members, a group of citizens including in its ranks retired police officers from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) recommends a tightening of Canada’s crime laws and an appreciation of the work of the police.
The group called the Community of Citizens in Action Against Violent Criminals (CCACV) brings together several members of civil society, including the former mayor of Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension, Anie Samson, as well as Stéphane Wall, retired SPVM supervisor, and André Gélinas, retired SPVM detective sergeant.
They wanted to make proposals as part of the forum on armed violence announced by the director of the SPVM, Sylvain Caron and which was to begin on Wednesday, but the event was postponed due to the 5th wave of COVID-19. This is why they intend to present their recommendations on Wednesday at a press conference in Montreal.
Laws to be updated
The murder of four teenagers in the last year in the metropolis makes it urgent to introduce measures to counter street violence, say the members of the CCACV.
According to Stéphane Wall, several laws or sections of federal laws should be updated to better reflect the new realities on the ground. Thus, the sections of the Criminal Code dealing with organized crime (467.1 to 467.14) should be updated to include membership in a recognized street gang, he says. “After 20 years, we think we should dust them off and simplify them. Consideration should be given to criminalizing membership in street gangs or organized crime. »
The group also believes that justice must be tougher on minors who commit crimes using firearms. “Street gangs currently enjoy complete impunity,” says Mr. Wall. He relates that members of street gangs have young people do jobs and give them firearms, knowing that if they are caught, they will not be convicted. The retired police officer is advocating for a review of Bill C-75 to ensure that young people who engage in serious crimes against the person or use a firearm are punished more severely.
Better control should also be done at the borders and on the outskirts of indigenous reserves in order to limit the trafficking of illegal weapons, adds the group.
Valuing the profession
The profession of police officer must be more valued, in the political discourse in Quebec in particular, advances Stéphane Wall. The disengagement of the police, which results in a reluctance of the police to intervene in certain situations for fear of being criticized in the public square, undermines the morale of the troops and puts off the aspiring police officers, he says. “If the police decide to disengage, all they will do is respond to 911 calls. They will do less and less prevention and collection of criminal intelligence,” he explains.
The “relentlessness” against police officers in Toronto has led to police disengagement and an increase in the number of shootings in the queen city, he warns.
The group also believes that Quebec should maintain random interceptions on the roads because these can be useful in fighting crime. On occasion, these arrests can even make it possible to free victims of pimping, says Stéphane Wall. Certain measures could however be put in place to avoid repeated interceptions against the same vehicle owner, which could be likened to racial profiling, he adds, suggesting the recording of remarks by the police in the data of the Center Quebec Police Intelligence (CRPQ) following the arrest of a motorist.
For its part, the City of Montreal should set up a telephone line managed by a multidisciplinary team which, like the Center for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence, could come to the aid of parents who notice behavioral changes and a tendency towards violence. “Young people who have become criminals, it’s hard to bring them back on the right track. But we are able to change those who are coming,” argues Anie Samson, who was responsible for public security in the Coderre administration.
The former elected maintains that her approach within the group is not political, but rather that of a “citizen concerned” by the rise of armed violence in Montreal. “When I was mayor, I had the tools and the means to get things done. I no longer have the same tools, but I am sorry to see what is happening. »